Advancements in anesthesia mean that many preconceived ideas about root canal treatments are thankfully no longer warranted.

‘Root canal’ is the anatomical name used to describe the space inside the tooth encasing the nerve and blood tissue. Bacteria invasion can result in permanent damage, causing the nerve tissue to die over time; often without any symptoms to the patient. To keep the tooth disease free, root canal treatment is performed by cleaning, shaping and decontaminating root canals in order to remove any infection and then sealed to avoid further bacterial invasion. Because of the precise nature of the treatment, it is performed over 2-3 separate appointments. However, once the treatment is complete and successful, the tooth can avoid being extracted and lost.